1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure is directed generally to surgical devices with particular discussion about embodiments of an anchor configured to expand to secure graft tissue in a bone tunnel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many surgical procedures to repair torn or damaged tissue require the surgeon to form a tunnel in a bone or boney member. This bone tunnel serves as a site to anchor graft tissue or sutures. For reconstructive repair of the knee, for example, tunnels penetrate through both the tibia and femur to receive graft tissue and, thus, join the bones together to restore normal functions of the joint.
Anchors are useful to secure the graft tissue in place in the bone tunnel. These anchors can insert into the bone tunnel, often with the graft tissue disposed about the periphery of the anchor and between the anchor and the wall(s) of the bone tunnel. In use, the anchors can be configured to expand radially outwardly to compress the graft tissue against the wall(s).
Radial expansion in many anchors results because the anchor has a body with particular portions that are moveable or transitory relative to other portions of the device. The moveable portions result from various cuts, slots, and related features in the body of the anchor. In many cases, the body also utilizes materials (e.g., polyethylene) having material properties that allow the moveable portions to flex under a load.
Description of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific patents/publications/products are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section or elsewhere in this Application, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed patents/publications/products are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed patents/publications/products may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific patents/publications/products are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section and/or throughout the application, the descriptions/disclosures of which are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies).